Ball cock back lever



May l6, Fl SMH-H BALL cocx BACK LEVER Filed Aug. 18. 1955 INVENTOR. HARRY F. v`SIW/7H Arroz/v5 Ys United States Patentt()v aan. cock AaaienLEVER ilHarryaF. iSmith, rLexington,"v .()hiogassignor ttt-Mansfield mSanitaryzPottery,ilncqflerrysville,Ohio, a corporation ApplicationAugust18511955; SerialNo'.' 529,269

t 4,Clams. f ,'(CL 137-426) This invention relates generally toball cock `valvesand is., more particularly concernedwith anew'leverand'plug vmechanismfor such valves. yl In my "U. VS.""Paten't"No. "2,6493772 is disclosedanew lever mechanism for ball cocks in"which a single pivot'pin is employed toconnect the .two levers, each lever engaging a' column for pivotingr movement. VIn my 1U. S. Patent No..2,80l,1l9. is disclosed aplug for ball cock valves having .packing and valve composed of syntheticmaterials. "While thelever vand plug mechanism of thatl patent have given good satisfaction and are` better in operation, `and arey less expensive to.manufact.1.1re,' than certain prior ball cock levereand plug mechanisms, theyhave certain rdisadvantageswhich it is the ,purposeof the'present'invenktion to overcome. IThesedisadvantages relate toY construction, operation andcost of manufacture.

lThe present invention wiilLbe better.,understood by ,those skilled in the art from: the "drawings whichaccom- .pany and'forma part Aof this specication and in which:

"Fig 1 is a 'side' elevational view, `.partly in section, of apparatus embodying-'the present invention;

`Fig. 2 is a perspective View of the lever mechanism in disassembled position; 1

' "Fig.' 3"is atop plan view of a'modied form of apparatus embodying the present invention; and

IiFig. 4 is a Vfragmentaryside elevational view ofthe apparatusof Fig. 3.

"Inthe drawings, thejinletjpipe 1 hasl attached to its upper end a conventional :ball cock body 2 having a forward extension 3 from which a hush pipe y4 extends downwardly. The plug' is -provided with a'valve 6 on vits inner `end to seat-on the open upper endlof the inlet "pipe, "orf preferably, on se'at^1a:screwed into vthat pipe, 'has-:onf-'O-ring to'sealj the space* betweenthe `plug and the upper wall`ofthe1b ody 2, afsplash *flange 8 abovethe Jbody, and"an"upwardlyjextcndingportion 9 provided with a V`substantiallysquareaperture ltlfwhich is f to receive Aone ofthe'leverspf the 'lever 'mechanism and whichV has opposedknife-like edges" 1'1` .to engage the top andlbottom surfaces 't offth'etlever.

' From kthe-extensiom,y afront rcolumn 12" extends-upnvardlyfand'forwardlylandris provided with anelongated, enarrow; rectangular hole to'receive 'the other lever -of the lever mechanism." From'the opposite orI rear side of-body 2 haA rear columnl 13 extendsiupwardlytand is provided-witlra substantially-squarehole. AThe-lever 15 extends 2through fthe rearjcolumn 13,k through plugS land stops short f the "rear'side of' front column 12` and `is substantially; square Ain "cross sectionffrom'itsrear vend to beyond the plug rto'iit,

"in theyholes-4 in'thelrear.v columnand n the plug, respectively.` *The-leve'rlS, at "its4 forward end, is: bifurcated to form portions'l and' each such portion has a downwardly lextending' part-providedwithadrilledhole 17; The other "leverf'20lofthe leverfme'chanism' has -a thin iiat portion* 21 Ito'extend through the elongated' rectangular yhole inthe front column 12 and has two drilled and'stappe'd Aholes'22 ;;..and`s23: rfItzwilltbeiunderstoode -thatione` Yor4 more'xthaniftwo Such holes may be formed in this part of the lever if ice desired.` "The lower surface 24 ofv 'lever.20 is curved and the upper surfaceis providedJwtha not`ch`z25 to engage with 'the upper portion of the front column12 incertain positions of the levers. The 'lever5'20 isgprovided'iwith a forwardly extending boss which has a 'drilled` `and tapped hole 26 .to receive a'lioat lever.'27 and alsoihasa threaded bracket 28 depending from its lower side;.and carryingan adjusting screw 29 'which is engageable withthe-:front surface ofthe front columnlz and serves' to "limitjthe extent towhich the valvemay open. y l

",)When leverf1`5 is in position in the Vholes inplugLS and rear column 13 and `lever"20 is...in -the;.hole'inj the'front column, one of the holes 22for"23 may be` alignedV with the, holes' 17in the 'bifurcated portions.' 16 .of leve`r15, and apivot pin 30 .may beinserted. in these. holes to connect the Llevers together. This rpivot .pin has threadsv engaging with theythreadsin hole"22 or'23 in' lever *20. and thus -moves with that4 lever and serves asa pivot about which "'thel'bifurcatedends of lever 15 may rotate.`"Sincefthe holes in leyerilS are not tapped,` theyrmay beinexpensivelyformedby a simple drilling, operation. Since .the holes 22 or' 23 are the` only ones which have to `be tapped, vthe 'drilling and.Y tapping operation on this lever is--inex pensive. .Since vlev.er';20 is "flat, moves ina narrowhole, extends, ntothe vspace between the `bifurcatedy portions o'leverlSl .and carried the pivot pin"3tl,.the relative movements ofthe two ilevers,` are eiectively, limitedl to a verticali plane andibin'ding andthe crea'tionjof` undesired friction in the 'operation of ltheparts is thereby 30 avoided. A"Moreoverythe fact that the pivot-pin isiixed in .the front lever' permits the bifurcatedpartsf Ethereal' lever to be. spaced vapart a considerable vdistance,"thus "avoiding unnecessary .friction lwhile making the' levergas- :sembly quite rigid in atransverse ,horizontal plane 'while "maintaining high flexibility in a vertical.plane."This 'construction makes it possible to cut away one side wallof eachl of the lever holes Yin columns 12 and 13, i. e., making open sided notches. These notches areY readily formed'by casting andthe cost is less than'when'V the holesv are formed 40 by machining. The substantially squarecrosssection -of lever 15 makes for ease of manufacture both in'casting and in-machining lwhilethe forwardend of lever. 15 may l`'be'cast solid',4 drilled and then sawed` toform'the .bifur- Acatede-partseor the bifurcated-portions-maybe` formed during casting and drilled later.

' "The: provision of two or 4rnore'tapped'holesfin lever 20, the-knife vedgesin the hole in Aplug-5 and-fthe plane'top andebottoinzsurfaces of lever 15 result inf-the new" a'dvanltage 'of' being ableto adjust Athe lever mechanism `to wcorrespondwithr different water pressures. v

Itwill vbe noted "that lever z'andoat rodi27fcomprise a'leveroi:`- the' first order in vwhich` the fulcrum 4is'atr the -point of engagement ofthefnotche'ZS of lever `20 withithe Liforward'column 112. '-InFig Il"theiappro xiznate location of this fulcrum is indicated at "35. "The-force'armof yfthisalever'extends'from-the fulcrum-pointf 35 toqthe iloat oniod 27 and is indicated by'theV line marked wonFig. 1. "Thefwei'ghte arm' ofthis 'lever -extends fromV fulcrum `^35 Wtojpivotpin'130-andits1length is indicated bylineV b. go'lThetleveVlS is-alever ofthe second order. wl'tsjforce ffarm extends`from the rear column` 13 -tohpivo't an`d-has -af1leng"thf as'` indicated Xbyline cw'hile its Aweight arm exltendsfmm 'columnl' to the knifeeedges 6in portion 9 ofiplugsand'has-alength as indicatedfby line d^cn^';I7`g. l.

When'th-e pivot pin30 is shifted from the forward'hole length b of the weight arm is increasedand-'they ratio of fthat'vlength-l toi-'the `length va of r thefforce -arm s A decreased tsinc'ewlthelength ais unchanged. PAtthe same time' the flever 115 zisvmovedzrearwardly rand the tratio: of the length '-.fdso-fthe Weightrarmnofhat 'lever toxthe lengthxaolthe force arm is decreased since the length d is unchanged.

23 to the rearward hole'22of' lever`20,' the lever arm roll on the plug as the latter is moved endwise.

I groove relative to the lever 1,5'.

The decrease of both of these ratios doubles the effect of the compound lever arrangement. Thus the combined eiect of shifting the pivot pin 30 from the forward hole to the rearward hole in lever20 is to decrease the amount of force applied by the iioat to the plug to urge the latter toward the inlet pipe. Hence, the valve can be 'closed against higher `water pressure when the pivot pin 30 is in the forward hole 23. f In this manner the device may be adjusted to different water pressure.

The adjusting `screw 28 serves to regulate thel extent of opening of the valve since it limits the extent of downward movement of the oat lever.

Theplug 5 of Fig. 1 extends up through theupper wall of body Z and a boss 40 and is provided with two axially spaced tianges positioned to lie within that wall and boss. These flanges are of lsmaller outside diameter than the inside diameter of the aperture in that wall and in boss 40. The Oring 7 is mounted between these flanges 40 and is ofa sizesimultaneously to engage the outer surface of -the plug between the auges and the inner surface of the aperture in the boss and not only Yserves to prevent free tlow of liquid through the space 'between the plug and body but also to serve as a support for positioning the plug in the body and facilita-ting endwise movement. of `the plug. The space between the' anges 40 is longfenough axially to permit the ring 7 to kThe plug 5 has an annular splash ange 8 which is positioned a short distance above the upper end of boss 40 and which serves to intercept any liquid under pressure which may escape from the body around the plug and to direct such liquid downwardly.

The plug 5 may be made of various metallic orisyntheticV materials. 'is preferably made of It may consist of brass or bronze but hard, sulfur-free rubber, molded polystyrine, nylon, vinyl copolymers, for example, Uscolite, or other similar synthetic resins. Of these various materials nylon is preferred. The valve 6 and the ring 7 should be ela'stically deformable and may be inadey of various materials, such as sulfur-free rubber, polystyrine, ny1on, neoprene, synthetic resins of the ordinary vinyl copolymers, `as well as vinyl copolymers with synthetic rubbers -such as Buna-N rubber, and other similar synthetic resins. Y y

.The valve 6 may engage `the open `upper yend of the inlet pipe 1, but preferably seats on a nylon seat 1a which may be threaded into the upper end of the inlet ripe In the modification shown in Figs 3 and 4 the construction ofthe upper part of the body and the associated partshave been altered. The upward extension 13 has been replaced by extension 13 which consists of a post rhaving notches 13a on opposite sidesthereof to receive the U-shaped lever 15' which is preferably made of at strip metal. `This U-shaped lever is received in an annular recess 10 `near the `upper end of plug` 5'. Since the 10' extends around the Plug, the latter may rotate Theforward leverr of Figs.4 1 and 2 has been replaced bylever 21' of1Figs. 3 and 4.` The major difference between these two levers is that the threaded boss 26 and the bracket 28 and adjusting screw 29 of Figs. 1 and 2 have been replaced by a threaded boss 26' through which the oat lever 27 maybe screwed for attachment as well as for adjustment of the extent of opening of the valve.

Having thus described the present invention so that others skilled in the artmay be able tounderstand and practice the same, I state that what I desire to secure by LettersPatent is defined in what is claimed.

i W'hatis claimed is: n n

ll. Lever mechanism for a ball cock valve comprising a' valve body having a forward hush .pipe extension, a front column extending upwardly and vforwardlyjfrom said extension and a rear column'extending upwardlyv from the body, said front column having an elongated rectangular hole therethrough near its upper end, a valve plug in the body between said columns and having an upward extension, said rear column and valve plug extension having substantially square holes therethrough, the hole in said extension having opposed upper and lower knife edges, a first leverhaving a portion substantially square in cross section extending through the holes in the plug and rear column and a forward bifurcated portion projecting downwardly and having holes therethrough near its front end, a second lever having a portion extending through and conforming generally to the elongated rectangular hole in the front column, having a plurality of ltapped holes spaced apart longitudinally along said lever near its rear end, having a curved lower surface, having a notch in its upper side to engage the front column at the upper end of the hole therein, having a tapped opening in its forward end to receive a threaded oat valve body having a forward hush pipe extension, a front column extending upwardly and forwardly'from said extension and a rear column extending upwardly from the body, said front column having an elongated rectangular hole therethrough near its upper end, a valve plug in the body between said columns and having an upward extension, said rear column and valve plug extension having substantially square holes therethrough, the hole in said extension having opposed upper and lower knife edges, a first lever having a portion substantially square in cross section extending through the holes in the plug and rear column and having a` hole therethrough near its front end, a second lever having a portion extending through and conforming generally to the elongated rectangular hole in the front column, having a plurality of tapped holes spaced apart longitudinally along said lever near its rear end, having a notch in its upper side to engage the front column at the upper end of the hole therein, and having a float lever attached to and projecting from its forward end, and a pivot pin extending through the holes in the first lever and in one of the holes of the second said lever.

3. Lever mechanism for a ball cock valve comprising a valve body having a forward hush pipe extension, a front column extending upwardly and forwardly from said extension and a rear column extending upwardly from the body, said front column having an `elongated rectangular hole therethrough near its upper end, a valve plug in the b ody between said columns, said plug having a valve kat its inner end, extending. through the upper wall of the body, having axially spaced annular angcs disposed in but out of contact with said upper wall of the body and having an upper end engageable with a first lever, an O- ring and the plug between said flanges and engageable with the plug and surrounding surfaces in the upper wall of the body, `a first lever having a portion operatively engaging the rear column and thevupperend ofthe plug, and a forward bifurcated portion having bored holes therethrough near its front end, a second lever having a portion extending through and conforming generally to the elongated rectangular hole in the front column, having a plurality of tapped holes spaced apart longitudinally along said lever near its rear end, having a curved lower surface, having a notch in its upper side to engage the front column at the upper end of the column therein, having a tapped opening in its forward end to receive a threaded iloat lever and having a threaded pivot pin exi tending through the drilled holes in the bifurcated pori tions of the iirst lever and threaded in one of the tapped holes of the second lever.

4. Lever mechanism for a ball cock valve comprising a valve body having a forward hush pipe extension, a front column extending upwardly and forwardly from said extension and a rear column extending upwardly from the body, said front column having an elongated rectangular hole therethrough near its upper end, a valve plug in the body between said columns and having an upward extension, a first lever comprising a at U-shaped metal strip operatively engaging grooves in said rear column and in said plug, and having bored holes near its front end, a second lever having a portion extending through and conforming generally to the elongated rectangular hole in the front column, having a plurality of tapped holes spaced apart longitudinally along said lever near its rear end, having a curved lower surface, having a notch in its upper side to engage the front column at the upper end of the column therein, having `a tapped opening in its forward end to receive a threaded float lever, and a threaded pivot pin extending through the drilled holes in the rst lever and threaded in one of the tapped holes of the second lever.

References Cited in the le of this patent VUNITED STATES PATENTS 2,247,525 Sherwood July l, 1941 2,649,772 Smith Aug. 25, 1953 2,664,261 Stephany Dec. 29, 1953 2,701,119 Smith Feb. 1, 1955 

